I'll Be There For You
by ScroogeMcDuck
Summary: Unusually cheerful little songfic! Fagin, Dodger and Charley reflect on life with the gang. Please R&R!


I'll Be There For You

**A/N: ** An unusually cheerful little songfic this afternoon! The song is I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts (more commonly recognized as the theme song from Friends). I thought it suited certain members of the gang pretty well.

Italicized lyrics are talking about Fagin, bold lyrics are Dodger's, and underlined are Charley's. If it's all three, it's talking about all three of them. =) Just to clarify. Hope you like it or at least find it somewhat amusing. XD

Dedicated to Katarina Sparrow 19; my Virtual Nancy Buddy! Love you, m'dear! :3

_**So no one told you life was going to be this way…**_

No-one had told them indeed. How could they all have known this was how they would end up? Well, Fagin must have known, it was he who started the gang, but for Dodger and Charley, their paths had been chosen for them. Despite this, they were glad of it. Life at Fagin's den gave them a mission, a purpose; albeit an unlawful one. Steal from the rich and give to the poor…themselves, in other words.

_Your job's a joke, you're broke_

Well, Fagin's job description wasn't really normal enough to warrant propriety anyway. But it was rather haywire nonetheless. Running a gang of pint-sized pickpockets had its ups and downs, highs and lows, good times and bad. Sometimes it was one big joke, other times the boys were the bane of his life. Not to mention Bill kept asking more and more for the stuff he stole; Fagin feared the prospect of having to live on air some time soon.

**Your love life's DOA**

This whole business with Nancy; Dodger knew he shouldn't like her as much as he did, he knew she was Bill's girl. He knew that. But there was something about her, something unexplainable and special, that drew him to her. And yet there was no way she could ever feel the same way about him. She was tied to Bill.

It's like you're always stuck in second gear

Charley and Dodger. Dodger and Charley. Fagin's best boys, partners in crime. That was the way it was, and the way it would always be. And yet, sometimes, Charley couldn't help but feel a little…out of things. Fagin always praised Dodger for what he brought and, more often than not, found something to quibble with about Charley's contribution. Light wallets, un-picked handkerchiefs…

_**Well, it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year…**_

It never had, never was, never would be. Life at the loft was a constant buzz of joy, sadness, terror and pain; you would have a great day once and the most awful of days the next. When you expected things to work out, they didn't, and when you thought plans would fall through they held fast.

_**But, I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour.  
I'll be there for you, like I've been there before.  
I'll be there for you, cause you're there for me too.**_

**You're still in bed at ten, but work began at eight…**

This seemed to happen a lot where Dodger was concerned. Too much gin the previous evening, a late night, bad dreams…not that going out on the job was allocated to a specific time each day. Everyone went in and out as they pleased, when they pleased. So why was Fagin always griping at him for being up late?

_You've burned your breakfast, so far, things are going great._

One of the main vexations of Mister Fagin Esquire was making breakfast in the morning. More often than not, the first batch of whatever he was cooking ended up burnt (his batch) and the rest for the boys was perfect…sort of. The sausages tended to be a bit off. Maybe they'd better try pinching from another butcher…

Your mother warned you there'd be days like these…

Charley's mother, bless her soul, had endeavored to teach him the ways of the world before her untimely death. Problem was, her view of the world was based on her position in life and, owing to her low status and poor financial situation; each and every day was a bad day.

_**But she didn't tell you when the world has brought you down to your knees…**_

For all the fun and enjoyable times members of the gang shared, they knew life was hard. They had to be tough to survive (especially with Fagin's cooking). Joking apart, things were generally in a bad state, from gloomy weather to bad food to uncomfortable beds (owing mainly to Charley's joke of stealing one's pillow). Unpleasant, to say the least, even if ones pillows are plumped with straw instead of goose feathers.

_**That, I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour.  
I'll be there for you, like I've been there before.  
I'll be there for you, cause you're there for me too.**_

_No one could ever know me; no one could ever see me…_

Before Fagin founded the gang; who was he? Just another one of millions trying to survive day by day, living hand to mouth, stealing to scrape a meagre living. No-one knew who he was; just another haggard face amongst the throng. But, in founding the gang, Fagin found a purpose.

**Seems like you're the only one who knows what it's like to be me…**

Dodger and Fagin had always got on well together; a great team indeed. With Dodger's light fingers and Fagin's boundless inspiration and wisdom they'd clicked, each an essential part of the other in a way, like a machine. Dodger would steal stuff and bring it back, Fagin would hand him a shilling and tell him he was a 'fine fellow'. When Fagin took him in, Dodger finally felt appreciated, recognized…loved.

**Someone to face the day with, make it through all the rest with…**

Despite Dodger's frequent late mornings, he and Charley always ended up going on the job together, working as a team to get their grubby hands on the richest pickings. No matter what happened, a good day or bad, they both had each other. Best friends and partners to the end.

Someone I'll always laugh with, even at my worst, I'm best with you…

Charley was the joker of Fagin's gang; he could always make everyone laugh. He was always playing the fool; he was, without a doubt, the happiest and cheeriest of all the lads. There were the rare occasions when he was solemn or serious; sometimes he could even display anger, as all young boys tend to do at some point or another. But even when this happened, he knew he could count on his friends.

It's like you're always stuck in second gear,  
_**Well, it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year…**_

But, I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour.  
I'll be there for you, like I've been there before.  
I'll be there for you, cause you're there for me too.


End file.
